Barton Child Law and Policy Center

Welcome

The Barton Child Law and Policy Center promotes and protects the legal rights and interests of children who are involved with the juvenile court, child welfare, and youth justice systems. The Center’s work is directed by Emory Law faculty and performed by law and other graduate students who provide holistic legal representation to youth clients at trial and in administrative proceedings, support appeals to protect the right to family integrity and advance system reform strategies through research, public education, policy development, and legislative advocacy.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Barton Center is to promote and protect the legal rights and interests of children who are involved with the juvenile court, child welfare, and youth justice systems in the state of Georgia. We aim to inspire excellence among professionals and to prepare emerging practitioners for successful and rewarding careers in child advocacy.

The Center achieves its reform objectives through research-based policy development, legislative advocacy, and high-quality legal representation at the trial and appellate levels.

The Barton Child Law and Policy Center promotes and protects the legal rights of children in the juvenile court.
We train the next generation of child advocacy professionals in an interdisciplinary setting.
A multi-disciplinary law office where students learn the range of competencies essential for successful lawyers.
The resources below may direct you to information, resources, and contacts that may be helpful in your situation.

News from the Barton Center

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Barton Center to host PLA Virtual Summit on December 15th

On December 15, 2023, the Barton Center will host the first virtual conference dedicated to the field of preventive legal advocacy and pre-petition representation. Join us for this national gathering of early...
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Senators hear testimony about problems with Georgia’s foster care system

Sen. Jon Ossoff lead a hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law to review findings from an ongoing investigation into problems throughout the state’s child welfare...
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Pa’s child abuse registry does more harm than good. Abolish it.

There's no evidence the registry keeps kids safe, but there are data showing that it bars people from a whole host of jobs over their lifetime — which makes it harder for...

Barton Center Newsletter

To receive email updates from the Barton Center, please enter your email address in the form below. The Barton Center uses this list to disseminate targeted news and organizational information. This list is not used as a forum for discussion. When the Georgia General Assembly is in session, subscribers may receive one or two messages per week. During the rest of the year, subscribers will receive one to four messages per month.